O'Dowd told Krieger that he tried to go into Dick Monfort's office and get fired. He told him that it would be a good opportunity to "throw me under the bus, in some ways, it will be good for me."

However, Monfort wouldn't give in and fire his general manager. When Monfort didn't fire O'Dowd, the general manager quickly decided that sticking around was apparently the best idea for him. He said that anyone else who came in simply wouldn't know how to deal with Coors Field, and that fielding a team in that park requires thinking outside of the box.

Krieger seems to defend O'Dowd's theory that pitching at Coors Field is impossible. He points to the failures of Jeremy Guthrie, Josh Outman, Guillermo Moscoso, and Tyler Chatwood as proof to the changes that apparently have taken place at Coors Field from 2011 to 2012.

When proving a point about bad pitching, using those four pitchers is probably about as bad as it gets. None of those four pitchers has ever had sustained success anywhere in the big leagues. Outman and Moscoso weren't even considered prospects any longer in the Athletic's system because of the fact that both of them are closer to their 30's than they are to their early 20's. Chatwood has barely any Major League experience, and anyone who thinks that Guthrie was ever a great pitcher never watched him pitch.

No one is saying that Coors Field isn't a difficult place to pitch. No one is denying that it provides different problems then anywhere else in the league.

However, the issue remains that O'Dowd continues to fail to see that the issue isn't the ballpark, it's the ball team. It isn't about the field changing, it's about the talent that isn't getting the job done.

Later in the article, O'Dowd continues to blame Coors Field. "This is a ballpark about adaptability. I did not anticipate the ballpark was going to play the way it did this year because it hadn't for the last four years. Why it is? Hell, I don't know."

The crazy thing about the statement is that it has become apparent that O'Dowd isn't using Coors Field as an excuse in order to save his job. He is using Coors Field as an excuse because he truly doesn't think that the failures from the Rockies in 2012 have nothing to do with the team that he put together. He honestly believes his own lie that it is Coors Field's fault, and not a lack of talent and lack of development from the players that he brought in.

For Rockies fans, this is as bad as it gets. When the ownership group believes in this general manager, despite the inevitable fact that this team is going to lose more games than it ever has, and the general manager is living in a fantasy world, it means that things are going to have to get worse, much worse, before they even start to get better.

It means that even more crazy theories like the 75-pitch limit are going to make their way into Coors Field. It means that talent and careers are going to be wasted on experiments that are used to justify theories that are actually excuses instead of going back to the basics and building a team that can win regardless of the park in which they play.

O'Dowd sounds like a guy who is frustrated. He sounds like a guy who can't seem to figure out the formula to win, so he has started to over-think it. He doesn't understand why his best efforts haven't resulted in long-term success, so he is panicking and not using logic in his thinking.

As difficult as it is to pitch at Coors Field, the reality is, the winning formula is as easy as going back to the basics. The pitchers who have had success at pitching at altitude are those who attack the strike zone, and keep the ball down.

O'Dowd is quick to forget the pitchers who have had sustained success at altitude. Two of the best examples are still wearing Rockies uniforms. Matt Belisle and Rafael Betancourt have pitched out of the bullpen with extreme success since 2009. Why are they the exception to O'Dowd's theory? Shouldn't the altitude take more of an effect on relievers than starters?

The Rockies need to get back to reality. They need to quit whispering in their young pitchers ears that they can't pitch at Coors Field. Instead of using the park as an excuse, they need to turn it around and use it as an advantage. They should let it get into their heads and convince the other team that they are the ones at a disadvantage.

Winning at Coors Field is possible. Rockies fans know that it is possible. This franchise won games when they pounded the strike zone, focused on throwing sinkers, and played fundamental baseball in the field. They didn't make errors, they played focused baseball that didn't have time to worry about playing at altitude.

The sad reality is, this Rockies franchise has become a laughingstock and they it doesn't faze them. They don't think that they have a problem. They continue to make a mockery of themselves and insist that nothing is wrong.

Until they realize that changes must be made, things will only continue to get worse. For Rockies fans, the patience might be tested even longer than they thought it would be.

Dear Dick,Your Rockies just ended a 7 game home-field losing streak which obviously means the opponents have figured out ways to overcome the anti-pitcher demons there. I think you should put some effort into finding out which Voodoo doctor visiting teams use to combat the ever-changing whims of Coors field. You've got to face it. Skillfull magor league pitching and a GM knowledgable about the existence of the demons is not enough here. You've got to start thinking "out of the box" and use every resource available."Sincerely",A Rockies Fan

how pathetic is that goes in and wants to throw himself under the bus, so be it Mr. Monfort i'll gladly drive the bus loaded with many,many loyal fans of coors field who see the rockies getting worse under mr. o'dowd's so call leadership. when attendance and season ticket sales go down in the next 2 months, which happens to be the way you meet payroll,don't look in the mirror and say what did i do wrong? because truly you do know. go broncos

This team is disgraceful. Monfort wont fire O'Dowd because he has no clue on how to replace him. O'Dowd apparently cannot even quit, so obviously Dick is not only terrified of what to do, I'm not sure he even wants to see the Rockies be even slightly good anymore. As long as he makes money, he doesn't care about the fans opinions. He does care about the local sports media though, threatening to gag order his players and staff if a radio host starts to criticize him, his GM, or his team. We cannot even wear bags over our heads at the game! I for one will never pay any of my hard earned money for anything Rockies related, be it games, merchandise, etc, ever again. Kiss my ass Dick, and Danny can too!

I've been watching baseball here since the AAA Denver Bears-Grizzles. Those teams managed to win titles occasionally and had decent pitching more often than not. The fact that the Rockies have been to the world series and have been a wild card and have not ever lost a 100 games, which they are now on pace to do is an indictment of the O'Dowd/Monfort combo. It's time to find Pat Bowlen type ownership (willing to admit mistakes and make changes) and a GM that knows what needs to be done.

To Mr Dick Monfort!!!!!!!!! You predict 90 wins!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't thinks so!!!!! Every year you put us through hell every year instead of getting better your making this team worse!!!!! Advice to you both Dick and Charlie Monfort do us a favor and sell the freakin team you guys are the Rachel Phelps, Marge Shotte, and Peter Angelos of baseball owners you guys don't care about us fans and winning and the team do us a favor and sell the freakin team take both Point Dexter Bill Geirvett and Dan Odowd with you!!!! You'll all are Discraces to the baseball ownership!!!!!!

To Mr Dick Monfort!!!!!!!! Both you and Charlie are like a big cancer of ownership!!!!!!!!!! Do us a favor and sell the freakin team and take Dan Odowd and Point Dexter Geirvett with you!!!!!!!!! Sell it to some other owmership that cares about winning and the Fans Your nothing but a big cancer to this franchise. What a joke.

About Me

Born and raised in Colorado, I have followed the Rockies since their inception. I am a freelance writer who covers the Colorado Rockies for the Colorado Springs Gazette, doing their Rox/Sox blog. I have also covered the team for INDenverTimes.com, a spin off of the former Rocky Mountain News. Some of the best days of my life have involved the Rockies.